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05 December 2021

Arthur Labinjo-Hughes: Residents pay tribute to tragic six-year-old at vigil in Solihull

05 December 2021

Dozens of residents have paid a touching tribute to Arthur Labinjo-Hughes at a vigil.

On Sunday afternoon, a crowd gathered outside the house in Cranmore Road, Solihull, where the six-year-old was killed.

Organised by a local resident, the vigil saw people laying flowers, holding balloons and placing posters and banners paying tribute to Arthur at the property.

Banners were placed on the property (Jacob King/PA) (PA Wire)

Arthur’s maternal grandmother Madeleine Halcrow could be seen wiping away tears at the vigil while wearing a T-shirt bearing his face.

The crowd lined the road before letting go of the balloons, some bearing messages, and applauding.

Residents, some with tears in their eyes, could be heard saying “bye Arthur” and “fly high always”.

Madeleine Halcrow was at the vigil (Jacob King/PA) (PA Wire)

They then formed a line outside the house before balloons, posters and flowers were placed around the property.

The words “You are loved Arthur” were put on the boarded-up window.

A Birmingham City flag was also placed at the scene, along with a picture of Arthur.

Flowers were laid at the scene (Jacob King/PA) (PA Wire)

Stepmother Emma Tustin, 32, was jailed for life at Coventry Crown Court on Friday, with a minimum term of 29 years, after being found guilty of the six-year-old’s murder while his father, Thomas Hughes, 29, was sentenced to 21 years for manslaughter.

The Government has announced a major review into the circumstances which led to the murder, aiming to determine what improvements are needed by the agencies that came into contact with Arthur before his death.

The National Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel will lead the review and will provide additional support to Solihull Children’s Safeguarding Partnership.

It emerged in court the boy had been seen by social workers just two months before his death, but they concluded there were “no safeguarding concerns”.

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